A Male Teacher Alone With a Male and Female Student
Fatwa No: 389530

Question

Is it permissible to study in a one room, but there is also a female student in that room . There is a teacher ,myself and a female student studying in one room. I am in a necessary situation ,and I cannot go to other place other than this place for several months.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

First of all, we say that a Muslim is obliged to avoid places of temptation and suspicion.

Therefore, if you can do without this study or find an alternative where you can avoid Islamic prohibitions, then you should do so.

However, if there is not alternative and you are in need of this study, then we hope that there is an Islamic concession for you to completer your studies. In this case, the female student must adhere to the Islamic Hijaab, and should not be soft in her speech or speak in an attractive voice.

All of you must restrict yourselves to necessary discussions and avoid joking and being lenient in talking and prolong your interactions without a need.

Neither of the teacher and you should be in seclusion with the female student but there is a narration indicating the permissibility of being in seclusion with a woman if there is more than one man, provided temptation is not feared when they are in seclusion with her.

'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn Al-'Aas narrated that the Prophet said: "After this day, no man should enter the house of a woman whose husband is absent except when he is accompanied by one or two men." [Muslim]

The apparent meaning of the Hadeeth is that it is permissible for two men or more to be in seclusion with a woman, provided that one is safe from temptation as we have already mentioned.

If there is fear of corruption, then it is not permissible. Being on the safe side regarding one’s religion is of unrivalled value, and avoiding harm comes in priority over achieving benefits.

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 373060, 81895 and 91409.

Allah knows best.

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